


blue

by addove (orphan_account)



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Torture, hello im posting this just to orphan it bc people asked
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-15 02:37:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19286386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/addove
Summary: There was a sound of footsteps stepping through the snow.Wild took a breath.With the blue strips of light fading into the sky, brilliant and bright and leaving Wild in darkness, alone, the snow began to fall harder.There was no coming back from this.





	1. silence

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Im back momentarily. I got messages like this like, a couple of times before, and recently I got a DM on tumblr and I said, "yknow what? They Deserve This." so here i am!! 
> 
> I promise this work is going to stay up this time, but I *am* orphaning it. There will be a link (haha get it,) on my tumblr tho if anyone doesnt want to bother finding it. Im shjbdhbhgdsbhg yall liked this shitty story. Hopefully I'll rewrite it soon.

They were told specifically not to be out after sundown- they were told how dangerous it was after nightfall.

"I live here-- I _know_ how dangerous it can be." Wild had said, finishing off his exit with a teasing smile, following Wind's excited footsteps and Four's bright smile into the woods in front of them, the slight chill of the setting sun leading them all forward.

They were specifically told to stick together, to stay on a path, to not let the chill of the night keep them out longer than they were supposed to be.

"A few hours- that'll be all! Promise!" Four had laughed, placing a hand on his hip.

"Yeah? Tell that to my gut. If something bad happens out there you can count me out of it." Legend huffed, turning away from them and leaning closer to the fire.

"Just be back before dark- the night brings a chill. Stay together." Time said, nodding them off. With a final promise of obeying the rules, the three left the forest in search of some kind of dinner. With Twilight bedridden from the fever that heated up his skin, their little adventure for food would take longer than an hour. Wild didn't mind. It reminded him of old times-- easier times.

Well, easier than trying to find two three foot tall children with the moon high in the sky and snow beginning to stick to the grass as it fell. Wild didn't even know how they got split up in the first place. One minute there was light chatter behind him as he picked apples from a tree and the next it was completely silent. Oddly silent.

It's been a few months. Everybody knows Wind can't shut up when he's in a place that’s so new to him. Thus, Wild turning around to see nothing but snow covering any footsteps he could trace back to them both, he was not surprised to find out he was alone. However, that didn't stop the panic from rising in his chest. It was obvious to anyone that Four and Wind could handle themselves, they've saved Hyrule before for crying out loud, but that didn't stop Wild from going, well, wild. Without any hint as to where they had gone to, he's left to resort to yelling out their name, a risk of Time hearing him, but one he is willing to take in order to find the Four and Wind.

"Wind! Wind, where are you?" Wild yelled, cupping his face with his hands as his teeth chattered. If he squinted he could see his breath turn white with each exhale he took. "Four! Come back here!"

The only answer Wild got was another harsh gust of wind and harsher snow falling onto his skin. In hindsight, he was glad that if they had gotten split up, he had left his cloak with Four. The cold could bite and sting and hurt him as much as it wanted, but Wild had gone through worse. He had enough elixirs to survive another hour, he would be fine.

Walking along what he guessed was a path based on the clearing of any plants that would get in the way of travel, Wild kept his eyes open for any puff of blond hair against the white snow, or a bright blue top that glowed against the dark green trees.

But there was none, not for a while. Instead, Wild only had his worry grow increasingly, watching the moon ride high into the sky and hearing the silent forest sleep under his watchful gaze. The thought occurred to him that he could be the one that was lost-- not Wind or Four --and while it was very plausible, Wild didn't know for sure.

He yelled out for them anyways.

"Four! Wind! Its dark-- Time is _not_ going to be happy with us, come on!" Wild yelled, peering through the trees as much as he could so late at night.

He waited for radiant blue eyes to stare back at him from the path ahead, or maybe from the bushes at his sides. Wild waited to hear childish laughter and two people with such familiar voices ringing through the breeze. He waited to hear someone call out to him and run forward with a stupid grin full of wonder, a matching one standing just next to the first.

It was an awfully long time before he even got close to those signs of life. But there were no smiles, no eyes filled with wonder and no laughter echoing through the night. There was only the sound of something big moving through the bushes and towards him, with a speed only a turtle could have.

Wild drew his bow, readying an arrow directly at the spot that kept rustling out at him.

The trees moved along with the wind.

Wild took a breath.

The bushes parted.

Blue eyes stared at him as Wind fell through the bushes and onto his knees, Four groaning as he tumbled to the snow as well, Wild's cloak wrapped around most of his body. Wild sighed with relief as he put his bow away and looked down at the two to offer a hand, only to freeze up and watch the whole world fall into a state of paralysis.

The snow beneath the two began to dye a concerning shade of red, sinking into the ground below. Wind picked himself up immediately and threw one of Four's arms around his own shoulder, picking him up on a limp and looking at Wild with pleading eyes.

"Wild, oh thank Hylia. We need- we need help. I can't walk right, Four's been shot! We need to- we need to go." He rambled, stumbling forward as he looked back at the bushes he came through nervously. "There's- men. Chasing us, hurt us, wants the Hylian Champion or _whatever that is_ , I don't know what to _do-_ "

Wild scanned their surroundings for anyone else, but all he heard was the rustling of papers and the suspiciously quiet forest around them.

Wants the _Hylian Champion._

Everything clicked into place.

Wild turned to Wind and knelt down, his hands stumbling as he unhooked the Sheikah Slate and pushed it into the younger hero's hands. "Listen to me, Wind. This isn't- you need to leave with Four now. If you teleport here-" Wild zoomed in on to a shrine on the map "-you should be able to get back to camp. Call for help."

"Wait-" Wind scrunched up his nose and looked up, gripping the slate in his hands. "What about you? You can't take these guys on their own! We tried! There's too many of them!"

Wild though for a moment. It was clearly an ambush. Whether or not the Yiga Clan had counted on Wild being separated from the group or if they had followed him his entire trip, there wasn't a good result either way. If Wild went back to camp with Four and Wind, that would make three injured being followed by who knows how many assassins, but if Wild didn't…

He knew without question exactly what had to be done.

Wind saw it in his eyes.

"No- no. _No,_ we aren't leaving you. We can all get back to the camp together!" Wind said, taking a glance down at Four. He didn't seem awake, drifting in and out of consciousness because of the arrow that stuck out of his chest. Occasionally his ears would perk up and he would cough again, blood dribbling down his chin. The groans that left him whenever his weight was even shifted wasn't a good sign per-say, but it did mean that he was alive. That's all Wild needed to know.

In fact, he could make do without any of Wind's hope, the persuasiveness dying as Wild drew his bow and moved to stand in front of the two. "It isn't up for discussion, Wind. You need to leave- Four could die."

If Wild dared to look back, he would have been able to see the fear that coated Wind's face. He stumbled back a step, dragging Four with him, as his grip on the Sheikah Slate shook. The waver in Wind's voice as he spoke was not unnoticeable, and was, in fact, the loudest thing Wild could hear despite the whispered state it had been in.

"We'll come back. I'll get Time and we'll- we'll come back."

After a moment of silence that Wild knew all too well, he dared to turn around. The only reminder that Wind and Four had ever even been there was the blood that covered the once white snow.

There was a sound of footsteps stepping through the snow.

Wild took a breath.

With the blue strips of light fading into the sky, brilliant and bright and leaving Wild in darkness, alone, the snow began to fall harder.

There was no coming back from this.

He turned around and fired an arrow, finding himself face to face with a knife only inches away from his throat and an arrow poking out of the forehead of the man holding it.

 


	2. lightning on a snowy night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was the choked back sob that got everyone to move.

Exhaustion crept through the bones in his body, wishing for sleep but keeping his eyes wide open. Twilight sat at the end of camp, staring off to where Wild, Wind, and Four had left over six hours ago. The moon had already risen high in the sky, reflecting off the snow that had recently covered the previously green grass. The weather in Wild's Hyrule was unpredictable, but for some reason… he didn't mind.

Or at least, he wouldn't normally. Today his skin burned like the sun, heat rising off his body like a volcano. Sweat coated his skin as it ran down his forehead, hair sticking to his face more than he would actually care to admit. For hours Twilight had tried to convince everyone, especially Time, that he was okay, just a little warm with his gear on, but nobody had taken his bluff. It was fair, really, but it was also especially frustrating during times like these, where he could be the most help in finding his friends.

It hadn't mattered when Twilight tried to sneak away after the first five hours. Even only a few feet away, having only walked for a minute, Twilight had nearly collapsed into the snow. If it hadn't been for the shrine sitting so close to camp, able to block away the harsh wind and the snow flurries, Twilight wouldn't have been able to stay awake for as long as he had been.

Distantly, he could hear Time and Legend looking for him, calling out quietly to not wake Warriors and Hyrule, who had almost passed out trying to stay awake to keep watch for the missing trio.

For some reason, it was always Wild who got in some sort of trouble.

If his burning skin and droopy eyes weren't any indications of the fever racking over his body, him not being able to hear Sky walk through the snow was another. Twilight flinched when a hand was placed on his shoulder, draping a blanket around his body. The new and sudden warmth was uncomfortable, but it was far more welcome than the chills that swept over his body every time a new wind gust blew into his side.

Sky sat down next to him, looking over at the path where fresh snow prints had been there only hours ago. Nothing was said between them for minutes before Sky decided to fill the silence for both of them.

"I'm worried about them too." Sky said, smiling weakly at the forest in front of them. "You can act like you don't care that much, but everyone knows you do."

Twilight looked away. He didn't respond, either.

"Especially for Wild."

He sucked in a breath.

Twilight watched Sky push away Time and Legend out of the corner of his eye, not turning his head away from the forest path in case someone finally decided to come back.

Really, he was too tired for this.

With his eyes drooping and snapping back open every few minutes and his limbs all out of energy, Twilight didn't know if he could really do anything other than sleep. But Wild hadn't come home yet. Wind and Four are still out there, too. He didn’t have a choice.

"I'm sure they're fine. You, on the other hand, need rest." Sky said, trying to usher Twilight up onto his feet and back to camp. But he only scowled, snuggling further into the blanket and eyeing the path with drooping eyes.

"I'm fine." Twilight yawned, blinking slowly at Sky next to him. Sky only rolled his eyes. Twilight thought he said something, but the sight in his vision blurred too much to read his lips and all the sounds that seemed to go through his ears never registered. Instead, his head lolled to the side and rested on Sky's shoulder, who only gave Twilight a soft smile before quietly calling Time over to help Twilight up.

When Time picked Twilight up, his body curled up tight in his arms, Twilight's head leaned into the embrace and let sleep overtake him as they were guided back to the camp with Sky.

Setting Twilight down under enough blankets to melt ice, Sky, Time, and Legend all stood around the fire, sneaking glances in both the direction of the forest and towards Twilight below them. His fever hadn't gone down, in fact, it was the contrary. Having sat in the snow and wind for longer than an hour had probably made it worse. His face glistened with sweat and a bright pinkish red, scrunched up as he twisted and turned in his sleep. Whether they were bad memories, nightmares, or just plain old dreams, Time knew it wouldn't be wise to wake Twilight up in the state he was in.

Instead, he sat down on a log next to his protégé and took a moment to stop and think.

"Do you think… they're in trouble?" Legend asked quietly, sitting across from Time. He could only shrug his shoulders in response, knowing very well what the most probable answer was. Sky took a seat onto his bedroll, letting out a huff of air.

"Probably. Knowing Four, though, they should be fine. He may be childish sometimes but compared to the other two he's the only one with a brain cell." Sky quietly laughed, his attempt at lifting the spirits of the three working, if only a smidge. Time gave him a small smile and Legend laughed along with him.

For a moment, they joked on their current predicament, the tone now soft and forgetful of how worried everyone truly was.

And with a flash of blue stream light landing at the shrine nearby, that moment was over quicker than a bolt of lightning.

Time stood up quickly, the smile getting knocked off his face by the two people who stumbled out of the shrine and into the snow. Wind winced as he took a step forward, tightening his grip on Four's arm as they continued to move. Four's head lolled to the side, resting on Wind's shoulder, eyes closed.

"Help! Time- someone- we need help!" Wind yelled out, his voice hoarse. "Four's been shot-" a cough "-Wild's gone…"

It was the choked back sob that got everyone to move. Legend took Four's arm and slung it around his shoulder, hanging listlessly at his side. Time picked up Wind and rushed back to camp with the others.

"What happened?" Sky asked, already looking through his bag, disappointed to find it nearly empty, save for two empty potion bottles and his carving knife. "I don't have any potions. Legend?"

"On it."

Four coughed as Legend set him down, body crumpled in on itself. Wind looked up at Time as they walked, eyes drooping shut. "There was an ambush… Wild stayed back to get me and Four to safety."

And then he was out like a light, exhaustion written across all of his features.

Time took a glance back at Twilight, watching him stir in his sleep. Through the firelight he didn't look any better, his face still flushed a bright pink and shiny from all the sweat that pooled on his heated skin. He hoped Twilight would be better by morning because if Wild was truly hurt, they need everyone they can to be up and ready.

There wasn't a single moment to dread on whether or not Wild was okay-- or if he was far worse than just simply hurt.

"They're both unconscious now- who knows how long they've been hurt." Legend said. He swept through the supplies in his bag, pulling out bandages and two potions. "The potions can stop the pain and speed up the healing process but I'm not an expert in medical- I wouldn't know how to take the arrow out without breaking the arrowhead."

Setting two potions down next to Four and passing a couple to Time for Wind, he looked towards Sky for advice, who stammered out a reply as he wrung his hands.

"I'm not sure We could-" Sky stopped and took a breath. "We should wake up Warriors and Hyrule, I don't think it'd be wise to go through their stuff- Legend!"

Legend didn't look up from Warrior's bag, picking through more medical supplies as he slept. He took out a few more potions and extra bandages and tossed them Sky's way. He caught them without further argument, settling for a disapproving glare in Legend's direction.

Time spared a glance at Sky before shrugging, already moving to check Wind's leg. It wasn't broken, no bones seemed to be out of place, but with how swollen his ankle looked and the bruises that surrounded his skin was more of an indication of a sprained ankle than anything too horrible.

He picked up the thinnest blanket that was nearby and stuffed it with snow, letting it rest on Wind's ankle. Time then picked up a potion, just as Wind winced and opened his eyes lazily.

"Tha's… cold." He said, slurring his words together and looking up at Time. He only gave Wind a weak smile before showing him the potion in his hand. With an outstretched hand, Wind took the potion and drank its content, gasping at how cold it had been, too.

Time looked over to Legend and Sky, as they carefully tilted his head back and poured the potion down his throat. Four coughed, face scrunching up as any new energy left him to sleep once again. With a glance back at Legend, Sky nodded, and the arrow was cautiously pulled out of Four's chest.

Whether it was the potion numbing his system or Four was unresponsive, not a single sound came out of him, nor had there ever been a wince. Legend looked at the arrow, fully intact, dripping red, and shrugged, throwing it behind him. Sky quickly moved in, as well, lifting up Four's tunic to begin wrapping his chest in as many bandages as Legend would let him get away with.

Wind watched them handle Four with care, the tenseness in his shoulders lifting to see his friend alright.

But his mind didn't stay at peace, for as soon as he saw Four okay his mind clicked into place and Wind sat up quickly, looking around wildly. "Wild?" He yelled, shrugging off Time's hand that rested on his shoulder.

The others stirred, Warriors opening his eyes to see Legend and Sky in front of him. Hyrule rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands and yawned, stretching his back as he quietly whispered to himself, "Is it morning?"

"Are those… my potions?" Warriors asked, eyes narrowing in Legends direction. He only shrugged, giving Warriors a pointed look before nodding his head in Four's direction. Warriors eyes widened in understanding before Hyrule asked the question that hung in the air like a thick fog. "What happened? When did they come back?"

Twilight shifted, sitting up as he rubbed at one of his eyes sleepily. His posture was weak, and from the looks of him, Time guessed he was still out of it, even as he looked around the group. "Where's… Wild…?"

Nobody had the heart to beat around the bush this time around.

"We need to find him in the morning. If we all go out now with how things are there is still a chance to be ambushed." Time said, standing up and looking over at everyone, gaze softening when he looked down at the three who couldn't even move in their state.

Legend looked up, hands still resting on Four's back. "Four and Wind only returned barely ten minutes ago, Wild could still be-"

_Boom._

Everyone's heads whipped up into the same direction, eyeing the path where Four, Wind, and Wild had left on hours ago. In the far away distance, wild bolts of lightning crashed into the ground, thundering echoing through the silent night. The snow seemed to stop. The wind came to a halt. Everything froze in response to the call of righteous fury raining down from the sky.

From behind Time, Four's head fell into Legend's shoulder and his eyes opened for the first time. Half-lidded and dim, he was able to make out a single word with his cracking voice, lower than a whisper.

"Wild." 


	3. bait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He let his fingers collide into a snap.

The man in front of him stood for only a second longer before he fell to the ground, not a sound leaving his lips. Wild tightened the grip on his bow, turning to the other Yiga members and letting the match burn into a flame.

He jumped just as the other Yiga members decided to move, arrows flying past him and sticking to the trees behind him. Wild spun, knocking back an arrow as the world slowed around him. Color faded from everything, drained into nothingness as the air in his lungs began to compress. The red of the assassins suits stood bright against the whites and blacks of the rest of the world. Quicker than a flash, Wild had arrows into three of them before he crashed to the ground, rolling as he unsheathed the sword on his back and let it swing. 

Another member fell as Wild swept his sword underneath their legs, quickly spinning in a circle as he hit two others. He counted six members down, never to breathe another breath of air again, and decided that this wasn't an accidentally ambush like normal. No, this was planned. There was grace in their movements, a strategy behind their wicked laughs. There was a smile hiding behind their masks and eyes, knowing, knowing of everything Wild had done so far.

There was something hiding underneath the surface, a plan that could result in his downfall. Wild couldn't let his guard down.

So he didn't. He let out another yell, swinging his sword at the nearest Yiga member. Below him, he faintly recognizes the white snow turn a blood red. It could be his, from the scratches that covered his body, and it was definitely his enemies, their dead bodies littering the forest floor.

He thought it was over when an arrow cut through his shoulder. Wild choked back a scream, biting his tongue and tasting the metal tang of blood run down his throat. He spun around, meeting the end of a sharp blade with his bow. It dug deep into the wood, but it stopped moving as soon as it dug too deep.

Wild ducked underneath another swing that was aimed his way, sinking into the flesh of another assassin instead. A head fell to the ground, sinking into the snow as its body fell along with it. Wind grimaced, choosing to look away and rip out the weapon stuck in his bow rather than to idle on the more gruesome parts of fighting. He threw the weapon at another Yiga before pausing, silence ringing through his ears. 

The only sound that could be heard for miles was the gusts of wind that pushed him along. It was odd, surely. Just a second ago he could hear almost anything you could think of- laughter, bowstrings being let loose and arrows flying by. Wild had heard swords clash and the sickening sound of metal against flesh. He heard strangled screams and bodies hit the snow. 

It was odd, the silence.

Then he was surrounded, nearly a dozen red-clad figures taking aim in his direction.

Wild didn't waste a single moment.

If he had, his own life could have been lost. He could see the arrows sticking out of his body, the blood staining the snow. If he had, he could imagine the death that would ring upon his spirit and loom over the forest like an aching wound. If he had, Wild could see a million different endings, a million different tragedies, happen. He could see a million different stories take their end where they should have started.

So he didn't waste a single moment.

He let his fingers collide into a snap.

The snow stopped. Lightning crackled against his fingers. Static, racing up his spine, sticking to his hairs and his clothes and running through his veins like blood. Like it was a part of him. So familiar, yet so new, always there yet always not. It was calming, keeping him at peace as the sky darkened and the world seemed to freeze.

There was the booming sound of thunder echoing through the silence of the night as lightning rained from the sky, striking the enemies around him. He stood in a haze, arm stretched out in front of him as blue flames danced around his body. Eyes, lightning flashing through his iris's like a possesses spirit, narrowed at the figures that stood paralyzed. They fell into heaps and nothing more than lifeless, empty carcasses. 

The forest stilled into nothing. It was all silent after that, the lightning fading away with a gust of wind and the static disappearing as if it were never there at all. 

Wild looked down at the bodies that lay across the ground. 

"Pathetic." He said, rolling his eyes. He never had good experiences with assassins. Not that he expected it. They were assassins out for his own head, after all.

Turning around on his heel, beginning to walk back to camp and prepare himself for the rage Time was probably saving for him, Wild let himself breathe. He felt the air against his skin, gusts of cold air moving past him. He felt the moonlight touch his face and brighten the night as the clouds moved by. He listened to the crunching of snow underneath his boots as he walked, carefree wonder written across his face.

Only for a moment did he allow himself to breathe. 

But it was careless. 

A twig snapped behind him, leaves rustling from a heavyweight moving across them. Wild's eyes snapped back, only for him to be pushed into the snow beneath him, with a knife pressed to his neck. 

He didn't wait to ask questions, twisting his legs around the man behind him and flipping them over, Wild rolling through the snow to put distance between them. 

A man clad in red began to stand up from the snow, his face covered with a white mask and a symbol Wild knew all too well.

"Oh, so I guess the light show before was just the opening?" Wild snickered, unsheathing his sword and gripping it tightly.

The Yiga member didn't say anything back, his stance lowering and the grip on his blade tightening. As if in response, he dashed forward with quicker speed than Wild would have thought. It caught him off guard, the sheer strength and speed coming from the assassin.

He's clearly not like other goons, Wild thought, ducking under a swing and parrying another. 

It was a dance, the two of them locked in it for minutes on end. The snow and the trees blurred into the same color, the same picture-- a fuzzy background that meant less to him than the water staining his boots.

There was a hit Wild failed to dodge, just as the breath in his lungs decided to falter. He was slammed against a tree, head knocking back and hitting the trunk with a sickening crack. He felt blood drip down his skull. 

"You're lost, now, Champion." He hissed, digging his knife further into Wild's neck. He felt the warmth of blood trickle down his skin. "There won't be a home to return to after we've finished with you."

Wild snarled, preparing to kick the Yiga's body off of him, just as an arrow flew by and stuck to the tree Wild leaned against. Missing his ear by only inches, Wild peaked around the man in front of him to see Warriors aiming a bow and inwardly cringing on himself.

"Good job, Warriors- you nearly hit the one we're trying to save." Legend sneered, crossing his arms as he looked at Warriors. He looked back and lowered his bow, preparing to argue back just as Time stepped forward.

"Now is not the time to argue." He said, unsheathing the Biggoron sword and gripping it tight.

"Well, pinkie over there is the one who started it." Warriors huffed, handing the bow back to Sky, who in return handed him his sword back. 

"Yeah? Well, maybe you should stick to swords next time, hotshot."  
  
They both argued back and forth, throwing insults at each other and lost in their own tiny world. The Yiga member loosened his grip on his blade and took only a single glance back, but it was enough time for Wild to kick him back and send him sprawling.

Wild rolled over and grabbed his sword, clashing his with the Yiga members own blade. Sparks flew through the air, small lights in the darkened night. In their wrestle for strength, Wild saw out of the corner of his eye the other heroes move, four people sprinting towards him. With another burst of fury, Wild pushed the Yiga back enough to turn quickly and say, "Stay back! This isn't your fight!"

Another dodge, a swing of Wild's sword. There was chatter behind him, but he didn't hear any of it. He only heard the rushing of blood moving through his ears, his heartbeat thumping with no coordination. He heard his quiet breaths move in and out with quick and paced movements. There was nothing else that truly mattered-- it was a moment that couldn't be fixed if a single mistake was made.

So he rolled to the side, blocking another blow that was swung his way. Wild spun, kicking off a tree for more momentum than he really needed. Sure- it might have been for the flair, for the thrill that flashed through him like a gust of wind. But it was also for the timing, watching the Yiga assassin turn, his body slowing down as Wild pulled out his bow and pulled the string, two arrows held tightly in his grasp.

When he let them free, hitting their mark without a second to spare, time free at last, the expected results have disappeared as soon as Wild fell to the dirt. 

Someone called out his name as he hit the ground, landing on his side and hearing a faint crack from his shoulder. There wasn't much pain, only a quiet sting that didn't seem to last. Wild picked himself up quickly, eyeing the spot where two arrows lay in the dirt, where the assassin had stood only moments before his body erupted in a cloud of red smoke.  

"Wild! Behind you!"

When he turned around he had only expected to see one- but life had taken a liking to prove Wild wrong and twisting his peaceful nights into a hellish nightmare.

Six different versions of the same Yiga assassin stood around the group of heroes, the last standing directly in front of Wild, preparing for a swing of his blade. It didn't take time for him to dodge, ducking just in time to throw a punch at his gut and swinging his own blade as well. The body, instead of falling to the ground, blew up into more smoke.

Wild put two and two together. 

"They're illusions!" Wild yelled fiercely, turning to see eight of his friends in a battle with six red-clad figures, all of which look exactly the same. "One good hit and they're down!"

From across the forest path, only a few feet away, the heroes were trapped in an endless cycle of dodge and parry. Time fought with his back to Wild, using his brute strength as the advantage against two smaller goons. Sky held his own against another assassin copy, blades sparking as they parried swing after swing. Legend swarming two copies with magic blast after blast, dodging arrows as they flew by. The last copy held its own against Warriors, swiftly dodging every hit that seemed to make it close.

Wild took a step back, eyes sweeping over the copies that his friends fought with all of their strength. Nothing was distinctive between them, each looking the exact same in appearance and having the same strength to match. So he looked at something else, eyeing the way each of the copies seems to have been running on endless energy.

There was not a single clue as to which was the real Yiga-- or if there was even a real one at all.

Wild began to take rapid guesses as seconds continued to pass by, only able to watch as his friends fought a deadly battle with the most skilled assassins in Hyrule, feet rooted to the spot. His limbs felt like ice, frozen and cold and brittle. A single gust of wind could push him over. 

And then-- 

"Time! They have Wind!" 

His entire world froze. The copies erupted into smoke, leaving the heroes left in silence, gasping for air as they all spun around to see Wind being held from his neck by the real Yiga assassin. He gasped, pulling at his shirt with half-lidded eyes. From the looks of his skin turning a slight blue, it was clear to anyone that Wind was either freezing or running out of air. Wild wouldn't be able to wrap his head around it if it was both.

Wind was dying.

It took only a moment for the others to step forward-- their weapons pointed at the Yiga assassin and threats leaving their lips. Wild didn't hear any of it. He only heard the thumping of his heart inside of his chest, wild and accelerating the longer he stood still. He could only hear the blood rushing through his ears like thick sea water, the exasperated breaths leaving his mouth. He couldn't hear anything else besides the pure terror that raced through him.

So he decided, in a swift moment of courage, to lend an ear and listen to the men talk.

"…so what do you say, Hero?" The Yiga said, giving a pointed nod down the path and straight at Wild. "Give us your life and we will spare the boy."

They didn't know about the others. 

He didn't notice his hands trembling, or the furious looks Time gave him. Wild didn't notice how Legend shook his head, or Sky's pleading eyes. Warriors stood frozen, not able to look away from Wind's body as it shook.

Wild didn't notice the fear that seemed to pick at his heart like ice, tearing every strand of courage in his DNA in half. 

Everything froze.

Wild made a decision 

"Leave him alone. You want me, right? The Hylian Champion?" Wild asked, his voice wavering as he pointed at himself. The Yiga gave a small nod. "Then leave him alone. I'll-"

He didn't even spare a look at the others, but he didn't need to. Wild could feel their fear miles away, he could hear their whispers and see the terror etched on their faces. He didn't need to see them in order to know they didn't agree or to know how terrified they truly were.

"I'll go with you."

Wind's body fell into the snow as something hit Wild from behind, knocking him unconscious and leaving the last remaining sound in his ears to be the terrified screams coming from his friends.


	4. hold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wild opened his eyes.

He was cold. He couldn’t remember much.

As soon as his mind cleared and the slow sound of water dripping from a high place could be heard he realized he was cold. It was only a little, stabbing at his chest like icicles. It was only a little, the harsh wind hissing at his skin painfully. It was only little, Wild told himself, as his breaths dragged in and out with more energy he cared to admit he had left.

The cold was barely there, he told himself. It wasn't enough to worry about.

No. What he should be worried about was the rope tied to his ankles and wrists. He should be worried about the material that dug into his skin and caused him to bleed every time he moved. Wild should be worried about the snow that seemed to lightly cover some of his body as he sat there, tied to a chair, in the middle of a snowy canyon. Surrounded on all sides, the only thing that seemed to take significance was the stone wall in front of him, labeled with suspicious statues and paper signs.

He didn't get another thought put together before he was fell unconscious again, eyes drooping forward and his body falling limp.

* * *

He didn't know if he was awake again or if he was drifting through a quiet void. If it was the inky darkness that stared back at him or if his eyes were merely closed. Wild didn't know, because the only thought that really occurred to him how hot he was. How his skin burned. How his breath fanned out and felt like he was breathing in fire. How his head fogged up and all thoughts seemed to cease. How he was so desperate to get out, to crawl away, to find a way to cool off before his body was set on fire.

He was so desperate to get away that he didn't even manage to hear the laughter that echoed through the canyon.

It didn't matter, in the end, anyway He wasn't awake long enough to hear it.

* * *

 

_It was my pleasure._

Wild opened his eyes.

Cold. It was cold, the first thing he noticed. The wind pushed harsh against his skin and his joints ached. Whether or not it was from the cold itself or the way they were positioned with the restraints, he didn't know. He didn't know how long he's been there, how long it had been since it last snowed or if the powder covering him and his clothes was fresh. Wild didn't know if the blood staining his shoulder, his chest, his whole body was his or not.

No, the only thing he knew was that he had died. The voice, ingrained in his memory and the blue flames that tagged along with it, that voice. Wild knew it. He only heard it when he remembered, when he dreamed, and when he died. His dear Mipha lost in time, her presence now only a mere recording of an age-old spirit.

You could say he was haunted by more than ghosts.

It was all he could think about. With the cold nipping at him and the snow sinking into his bones, even then, all Wild could think about was that he died again, and he couldn't even remember why. The only thing of notice was the heat that slipped into his body and then he woke up again. The only thing he could remember was how cold it was, how hot it had gotten, and how he died again.

He died  _again._

Everyone told him not to do that again, and he  _did._  He broke another promise.

Wild wondered if he could stop it this time around.

He wasn't awake long enough to find out. 

Instead, he drifted in and out of consciousness. Wild found himself drifting in an endless void and then waking up to a stiff cold. One that made him wince upon every new gust of wind, or wish for better times as snow began to fall again. A cold that made him long for his home. One that aided in his dreary breaths and aided in his aching heart. One that aided in his mindless thoughts and one that stopped his heart from beating. A cold that seemed more than a winter, more like a storm. 

The heat stole him away again.

* * *

 

_It was my pleasure._

He woke up to the cold.

_It was my pleasure._

And he woke up again.

_It was my pleasure._

And he woke up again, and again, and again. Every few hours. In and out of consciousness. Slipping, falling, eyes always drooping shut for the last time when he began to feel nothing at all. When his final breaths seemed to shock him to his inner core. When his final heartbeat stood in silence. When his body shut down and his mind went blank. He died, again and again, stuck in a cycle that never seemed to end. His thoughts had stopped after the second time, his will slipping away into nothing. Wild didn't know how long he was there, or how many times he died, or even when to differ dying from waking up after falling unconscious again.

He only knew that it was cold and that he had an intense longing to go home. He only knew that he was beyond tired, sleep pulling at his eyes and sapping the strength away in his lungs. Wild knew the quiet voice that screamed in the back of his mind, told him to run, to leave, to get out and get free and go home, was full of a hope he didn't truly have at that moment.

With the ropes tied around his arms and ankles, there wasn't…

The ropes.

 _It wasn't_ rope _._

Leather cracked against his skin, the once tight binding now loosening with every harsh gust of wind that whipped at him. Against his wrists, Wild felt the leather crack as he moved, shifting in his spot. Despite the pain that ached in his body with every move he made, he pulled at the binds that kept him still. And with a few goods pulls, the leather snapped and his hands could move freely. They were cold, barely any feeling in his fingers and no movement strong enough to hold a real grip, but he could move them. It was progress.

When Wild freed his ankles, allowing himself to stumble up and fall to his knees, adrenaline seemed to be the only thing steering his body as he got up again. His body burned as he moved, scars flaring up like fire as he moved. Wild cringed, stumbling repeatedly as he walked to the entrance in front of him. It was left unguarded, silence stretching through the room, thicker than blood.

For a moment, he let himself ignore everything and took a second to think.

He dropped a coin and continued walking.

Even as he stumbled through the hideout, suspiciously empty and quieter than he'd ever seen, Wild didn't think much about it. He couldn't. Every thought was consumed with the mind-numbing pain of each step he took. His scars flared up and brought tears to his eyes. His skin felt weak, stinging with every touch.

He didn't notice when his body hit the floor, consciousness fading in and out.

"Link!"

The voice didn't quite register until he opened his eyes.

Hyrule looked at Wild from above, worry creasing over his face and fear painting his eyes. Wild tried to open his mouth and say something, but all that came out was nothing. He blinked again, and Hyrule smiled.

"Thank god you're awake-- we've been looking for you  _everywhere_!" He said, helping Wild sit up, his hand on Wild's back. He only looked around groggily, blinking again.

 _Remember?_  Yiga, kidnapping, hypothermic torture. The usual.

Wild only nodded as he leaned on Hyrule, using him as a grounding mechanism while they began to stand. Wild, on shaking legs and feeling his body grow weak in general, took a deep breath.

"How'd… ya find?" He managed, words slurring together and dying into a sentence that didn't quite make sense. Hyrule took a moment to figure out what Wild had been trying to say.

His face brightened. "Oh! Your Sheikah Slate! You left it behind."

They began to walk, Wild nodding along to everything Hyrule said. It wasn't much, a sentence here and there, encouragement every few minutes. His eyes drooped every now and then, bolting awake once more when Hyrule patted his shoulder. He nodded along to Hyrule's _"We are almost there's"_  and the  _"You're doing just fine's."_  He barely registered the  _"Keep going, Link's"_  and the  _"The other's are waiting for us's."_

Nothing seemed to make it through to his mind as much as he preferred.

It was strange, the cold didn't bother him much anymore. No more shivers racked over his body, his joints didn't ache quite as much as they did before. There wasn't any wind to push him over, or any snow to keep him cold. The only thing that remained the same was the wet clothes that clung to him and his scar tissue flaring up with every new movement. It made him wince, sure, but he preferred just the pain coming from his scars than that paired along with the cold that loved to sting him and loved to burn him.

Wild was led into a dark hallway, the grey concrete shifting into darker shades of grey and black. Wild didn't really notice until a few minutes later when the shuffling of papers and the sound of metal falling against the floor made him bolt upright. 

"Wh'as that?" Wild said, stumbling again as Hyrule turned them both around. "Thou' you go' rid of 'em?"

"The Yiga Clan?" Hyrule asked, glancing back at Wild and helping him lean against the wall. "Yeah, we should have. Hang on a sec, Link. I'll go check to see if it's the others."

Wild took a second, watching Hyrule walk a few ways away.

"'ink?" He questioned, wishing more than ever for the fear that welled up in his chest to be simply anxiety and not just terror.

Hyrule stopped. He didn't even turn around to look at Wild.

"Is that not your name?"

"I'm…" Wild began. His legs gave out under him. "Wild. I'm Wild."

Hyrule turned around, the innocence in his eyes that had been there only a moment ago now covered with what Wild didn't really know how to label. From the floor, looking up at Hyrule, Wild watched as his vision was swarmed with black dots.

"Wild, then," Hyrule said. There was a flash of red and an echo of laughter. He didn't quite see it. "I'll be right back."

Someone clapped. He didn't hear it. The floor beneath him disappeared, and he was left in a darkened room. Wild didn't notice. He only noticed his body seem to fall against the wall behind him and his eyes closed shut. He only noticed the heat that rushed through his body as he had a newfound fury tell him to cool down.

Wild only noticed his heart give out, and the rise of blue flames that stuck out brighter than anything he's ever seen.

_It was my pleasure._

He wondered if Mipha knew the hell she was putting him through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys!! some of you have been asking about this and im here to deliver. its not going to be finished, in fact, im only going to leave it up on my profile for about an hour. after that im going to orphan this work and try to rewrite it bc i love the idea (ah, yes, shameless whumping,) its just really old and needs a lot of... different touches.
> 
> anyways, see yall <3


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